Ben (Robert Lindsay) is a dentist who wishes that he'd become a doctor. He's married to Susan (Zoe Wanamaker).
The couple have three children, Janey (Daniela Denby-Ashe), Nick (Kris Marshall) and Michael (Gabriel Thomson).
Ben does his best to understand his wife and children, with little success.
Susan is a "control freak" who believes in a very "hands on" approach to parenting. Ben, however, is definitely a "hands off" sort of guy.
Their eldest son, Nick, is a very strange young man who can't hold down than a job for more than a day or two. Janey is a very self-centred young lady whose world revolves around high fashion and having a good time. Michael is a very bright teenager with an interest in military matters.
Eventually, Nick leaves home and finds a flat of his own (though he still spends much of his time at home and continues to sponge off his father). Janey goes away to University but later returns home pregnant. She gives birth to a young son named Kenzo.
Young dentist Roger Bailey (Kieron Self) becomes a regular visitor to the Harper household after he takes over one of the surgeries in the building where Ben works.
While Janey is away at University, Susan invites her niece Abi (Siobhan Hayes) to come and stay with the family. Although she's gormless and accident-prone, she soon becomes the object of Roger's affections
The 11th (and final) series began UK transmission on June 17th, 2011.
Series: 11
Episodes: 120
Transmitted: 2000-2011
Channel: BBC1
BBC Television
DLT Entertainment UK
Rude Boy Productions